U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrived in Kyiv this morning “to meet with Ukrainian leaders and reiterate the support of the United States for Ukraine’s fight for freedom,” according to a Pentagon statement. Austin met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov while in Kyiv to discuss Ukraine’s weapons needs and how the U.S. can continue to support the country’s military over the next year, reported CNN. After their meeting, Zelenskyy wrote on X that he discussed expanding the use of long-range strike capabilities against Russian military targets.
The secretary’s visit was also meant to serve as a moment for him to “step back” and look at the “arc” of the U.S.-Ukraine relationship over the last two and a half years of war, a senior defense official said. The official hastened to add, however, that this was no victory lap for Austin. The Ukrainians are in a “very tough” situation against the Russians heading into winter, the official observed.
